A representative from Tops Pizza in Lea Bridge Road argued that the later close would help the business against stiff competition, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter
A pizza takeaway in Walthamstow has been given permission to close every day at 4am.
Tops Pizza, in Lea Bridge Road, successfully applied to Waltham Forest Council to push its closing time back from 2am to 4am on weekdays.
It was previously licensed to close at 4am on Fridays and Saturdays only.
A representative from the takeaway chain told the licensing committee at a hearing today (5th October) that the later close would help the business against stiff competition.
He said: “It is still tough for our business. We are not as big as the other boys.
“It’s been a struggle for the company to pay the bills,” he added.
The applicant told councillors there was demand for later closing times, based on information from other Tops Pizza takeaways that are open until 5am.
Eight residents living nearby objected to the late close, despite the company reporting zero official complaints.
Though Tops will only handle online deliveries from 2am onwards, residents’ complaints centred on potential late-night disruptions from patrons and delivery drivers.
“This is not Soho or a nightlife district and a fast-food takeaway open until 4am every night is completely out of place here,” one local wrote.
Others said the early-morning close would “significantly change” the character of the area, which is largely residential, while another called it “totally unreasonable”.
The applicant told councillors the Lea Bridge Road takeaway had been trading since 2022 with “no issues from any of our neighbours”.
Additionally, the two delivery drivers working each night would drive electric cars, which he said reduces both noise and environmental harm.
No objectors attended this morning’s meeting.
After a brief deliberation, the three councillors on the committee – two Green and one Labour – voted to approve the new licence.
Tops Pizza was founded in 1988 and has 85 franchises across the country, and around 15 in London.
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